Feeding device



Sept. 18, 1934.

c. T. WALTER FEEDING DEVICE Filed April 21, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet, l

f i561"! as 7 W0 lief INVENTOR sv w ATTORNEY p 1934- c. T. WALTER FEEDING DEVICE Filed April 21, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 (7201125 I. Waiier' INVENTOR ATTORNEY Sept. 18, 1934. c. 'r. WALTER 1373,9153

FEEDING DEVICE Filed April 21, 1932 5 Sheeis-$heet Ckarlea T MZflzer INVENT R ATTORNEY Sept. 18, 1934. c, WALTER 1,973,919

FEEDING DEVICE Filed April 21, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Charles TH/alzer INVENTOR ATTORNEY p 1934- c. T. WALTER' 1,973,919

FEEDING DEVICE Filed April 21, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 (barks If WqZ fer INVENTOR W I T N E 3 8 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 18, 1934 FEEDING DEVICE Charles '1. Walter, Chicago, Ill., assigncr to Swift and iilsompany, Chicago, 111., a corporation 'of "Ino Application a nijzl, 1932, Serial No. 606,551

The invention relates to slicing machines and associated feeding means therefor constructed so as to receive and support several slabs or strips of bacon and so as to successively deliver one slab at a time to and into-the slicing machine.

The invention according zto a preferredarrangement thereof relates to a sliding machine into which the bacon is fed in a'forw'ard' longitudinal direction from a transversely movable l0 magazine section that receivessever'al bacon I slabs, supports them parallel to the feeding-in line of the machine, and which feeds the slabs of bacon step by step in a transverse direction to a point at which the slabs may be successively.

passed by longitudinal movement directly into the slicing machine. a

According to one form of the invention, this transverse movement of the magazine section may be along a downward vertical path and from the magazine each slab of'bacon is successively dropped from the magazine and is received upon a conveyor table having a fast moving endless conveyor that passes the slab of bacon received thereupon in a longitudinal and horizontal direction toward and into the slicing machine while.

according to another form of the invention, the slicing machine is placed in an inclined position so that the forward longitudinal feed of the slicing machine is along a downwardly and forwardly inclined path and with such inclined arrangement for the slicing machine, the magazine feed is preferably located so as to move the slabs of bacon upwardly along a transverse upwardly and forwardly inclined path and so as to deliver the slabs, one by one, to a place or position from which they can successively slide, by gravity, from the magazine feed directly to and into the slicing machine.

In both arrangements, the magazines are preferably provided with a motor that is operated so as to effect a step by step movement and feed at the required time and the functioning of this motor is under the control of a member which is arranged in respect to the shearing machine in such a manner as to start or stop the motor, de-

pending upon whether or not there is a slab of bacon at a particular locality of the machine.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction. combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

As illustrating certain specific embodiments in which the invention may be realized, reference looking in the direction ofthe arrows. i

.8 Claims. (01. 146-110) is made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in .which drawngs:v j Fig. 1 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view showing a bacon slicing machine'iin horizontal arrangement with the slicing cutter at the forfward end of the machine and'with a magazine type of conveying"mechanismarranged.at the rear end of the machine. 1 Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe slicing machine and magazine shown in Fig.1. 1;." a

Fig. 3 is a vertical-,transverse, sectional view through the magazine and is a viewtaken as i on the plane indicated by the lined-30f Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 shows adetailed' arrangement of 9th motor and driving mechanismwhereby the motor operates the movable elements ofthe magazine of Figs. l'to 3, or the magazine of Figs. 5 to 8..

Fig. 5 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view of a bacon slicing machine in inclined arrangement with the'cutte'r of the machine at the forward lower end thereof andwith .an, inclined magazine arranged rearwardly inrespect to the machine. 1

Fig. 6 is a view looking forwardly and downwardly at the magazine of Fig. 5 and is a view looking in the direction of the arrows 6 of Fig. 5. c

Fig. '7 is a view taken as on the transverse plane indicated by the line 7'7-of' Fig. 5, looking 90 upwardly in the direction of the arrows. In short, this Fig. 7 shows the arrangement as be tween the delivery portion of the magazinejand the rear feeding-in end or the rear end of the bed of the slicing machine. 1

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the relation between a flight of the conveying mechanism of the magazine of Fig. 5 and a supporting. pan or plate operatively associated therewith.

Referring to the drawings in detail:

Arrangement of Figs. to 3 In Figs. 1 to '3, the reference character 1 'indi-. cates a bacon slicing machine" in which'the bacon to be sliced is fed in a longitudinal, horizontal, forward direction to the cutter 2 thereof located at the front of the machine. Because the bacon is thus fedinto the machine along a. horizontal path, the machine has been referred to as being in horizontal arrangement. "The bacon sliced is delivered upon any suitable'recei'ving and conveying means 3. A magazine 4 is provided at the rear of the machine. This magazine is composed of chain or other suitable endless conveying elements 5 and 6 and run over upper and lower pulley elements 7 and 8 which are, respectively, carried on and by the horizontal, longitudinally extending shafts 9 and 10 which are suitably mounted on the stationary frame construction of the magazine. Each of these chains have shelf 120 set so as to run opposite to each other in. izontal planes, as is clearly shown in Fig-'3.- other words, these shelves, when in cooperating relationship, travel downwardly as indicated by the arrows 13 in Fig. 3. seen that strips of bacon can be placed on these shelves so as to be fed downwardly as and when required by the slicing machine. The slabs of bacon are delivered or dropped, one at a time, to and'upon the slicing machine conveyor table 14, which table is provided by or with a fast moving endless conveying element 15 which is in turn mounted upon pulley elements 16 and 17.

In Fig. 1, it will be noted that there is provided a roller 18, herein referred to as a switch-controlling roller and which roller is in turn carried on the free end of an arm 19 that is relied upon to operate a motor switch 20 located in the box 21. Referring now to the magazine, it will be observed it operates from the motor 22 through the medium of gearingfor example, gearing such as that shown in Fig. 4-and which motor 22 is controlled by the switch 20. In the operating of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it will be noted that the slabs of bacon are supported on the longitudinally extending shelves, that they are 1 fed transversely, that is, in a downward direction,

to a position where they drop upon the slicing machine endless conveying member 15 of the conveyor table 14. Conveying member 15 moves at a greater rate of speed than feeding conveying mechanism indicated by- 23 and 24 in Fig. 1, with the result that as soon as a slab of bacon is dropped upon the conveying table 14 it moves forwardly and longitudinally into the slicing machine in a manner to engage the switch-controlling roller 18 so as to raise it and thereby stop the motor 22. This motor remains stopped until after the bacon slab leaves the switch roller, allowing the roller to drop, thus closing the switch and starting the motor 22.

Arrangement of Figs. 5 to 8 ated by a motor and gearing between the motor and the endless conveying elements; to wit: through the medium of gearing mechanism such as shown in Fig. 4. In fact, the magazine conveying mechanism of this structure is substantially the same in structural characteristics as the magazine conveying mechanism of Figs. 1 to 3. The

path of the flights in the conveying magazine of Figs. 5 and Sis transversely of the feed of the machine and is upwardly and forwardly inclined. The magazine shelves 11 and 12 as provided on and by the endless conveyors receive the slabs of bacon as shown in Fig. 6 and the forward lower end of each slab of bacon when on n the shelves engages and slides along a pan or plate 25. This pan or plate 25 extends at right angles to the line of feed of the bacon slabs in the machine, or

1 in other words, the pan or plate extends in a It will, therefore, be-

elements or shelves 11 and 12. The shelves, are

The arrangement of this pan or plate is such that it retains the slabs of bacon in place on the shelves until each successive slab of bacon has been elevated to a position from which it can slide or drop by gravity forwardly along a longitudinal path into the rear or receiving end of the slicing machine.

As each slab of bacon slides into the slicing machine, it engages the switch-controlling roller 18, lifts the arm 19 and operates the switch 20 in switch box 21 and thereby controls the stopping of the motor 22 that operates the movable ele-- ments of the magazine. This motor remains stopped until the slab of bacon has passed from under the switch-controlling roller whereby the latter is allowed to drop and cause the closing of the motor switch 20 and thus starting the opera-- tion of the motor which elevates the bacon slabsto a position from which the uppermost slab in the magazine can be fed into the slicing machine.

The particular slicing machine as shown in Figure 5 is fully shown in application for patent, Serial No. 602,708, filed April 2, 1932, and entitled Slicing machine.

In each of the arrangements illustrated in the figures of drawings hereof, suitable frame structure is provided for the slicing machine for the said magazine and for the conveying mechanisms that receive the sliced material but it will be manifest that a specific description of these frames isnot necessary.

- What is claimed is: 1. In combination, a slicing machine having a cutting element at the front thereof and into which machine slabs of bacon to be sliced are fed along a forwardly and longitudinally extending path toward and into a forward feeding mechanism at the front portion of the slicing machine, a magazine feeding means comprising'a transversely moving endless conveying mechanism in and by which there are supported longitudinally extending slabs of bacon in transverse arrangement, 9. motor foroperating said endless conveying mechanisms so as to successively convey along a transversely extending path the supported slabs of bacon into position to be longitudinally fed, one slab at a time, into the slicing machine, a receiving and feeding means being arranged for receiving slabs of bacon delivered thereto by the transversely moving endless conveying mechanism and for causing a forward longitudinal movement of the received slabs toward the forward feeding mechanism at thefront portion of the slicing machine, and means in the longitudinal path of the slabs of bacon so as to control the functioning of the motor according as to whether or not a slab of bacon occupies a definite place in respect to the slicing machine.

2. In combination. abacon slicing machine having a slicing cutter at the front end thereof, a forward feeding mechanism in the front por-- tion thereof, a receivingand feeding section at the rear portion thereof and into which slicing machine slabs of bacon to be sliced are fed along a forwardly and longitudinally extending path toward said forward feeding mechanism thereof, a transversely moving endless conveying mechanism in which there are supported slabs of bacon parallel to the longitudinal path of feed into the machine, a motor for operating said endless conveying mechanisms so as to successively convey along a transversely extending path the slabs of bacon in said endless conveying mechanism to a position to be longitudinally fed, one slab at a time, into the slicing machine, a receiving and feeding section arranged for receiving slabs of bacon delivered thereto by the transversely moving endless conveying mechanism and for ensuring a forward longitudinal movement of the received slabs toward the forward feeding mechanism in the front portion of the slicing machine, and-means in the longitudinal path of the slabs of bacon when in the slicing machine for controlling the functioning of the motor according as to whether or not a slab of bacon occupies a definite place in the slicing machine.

3. In combination, a bacon slicing machine constructed so as to receive slabs of bacon when fed horizontally and longitudinally thereto in a forward direction, feeding means located rearwardly in respect to the machine which said feeding means comprises a traveling magazine arranged to receive and support slabs in vertical transverse arrangement in respect to each other and with the supported slabs parallel to the line of feed to the bacon slicing machine, motor operated means for causing the traveling magazine to move downwardly whereby the slabs are successively delivered from the magazine to a horizontal receiving and feeding section at the rear of the slicing machine, and means associated with the slicing machine for controlling the functioning of the motor operated means depending upon whether or not a strip of bacon occupies a certain position on the slicing machine.

4. In combination with a motor driven bacon slicing machine having a motor driven cutter and a motor driven forward feeding means located at the forward part of the slicing machine, and which slicing machine is constructed so as to receive slabs of bacon when fed longitudinally thereto in a forward direction, magazine feeding means located rearwardly in respect to the slicing machine which magazine feeding means comprises a traveling magazine arranged to receive and support slabs in transverse arrangement in respect to each other but with the several slabs parallel to the longitudinally extending line of feed to and into the slicing machine, a motor, means operated by the motor for causing the traveling magazine to move transversely for successively placing the slabs of bacon in position to be fed-longitudinally into the slicing machine, a fast moving conveying means for longitudinally conveying a slab of bacon, thus fed by the magazine, to and into the slicing machine, and means associated with the slicing machine for controlling the functioning of the motor that operates the traveling magazine depending upon whether or not a strip of bacon occupies a certain position on the slicing machine, the fast moving conveying means being operatively connected to the forward feeding means located at the forward part of the slicing machine and both said fast moving conveying means and the forward feeding means being driven from and by the motor that operates the cutter.

5. In combination, an inclined bacon slicing machine constructed so as to receive slabs of bacon when fed forwardly and downwardly along a longitudinally extending path, a feeding means comprising a traveling magazine arranged to receive and support slabs in transverse arrangement in respect to each other and with the several slabs parallel to said line of feed of the slabs of bacon to the slicing machine, a motor, operating means driven by the motor for causing the traveling magazine to move along an upwardly and forwardly inclined path to position where the slabs can successively pass from the magazine into the slicing machine, and means associated with the slicing machine for controlling the functioning of said motor depending upon whether or not a strip of bacon occupies a certain position on the slicing machine.

6. A motor driven slicing machine in which strips of bacon are fed thereto in a forward longitudinal direction, said slicing machine having means therein for feeding in a longitudinal direction slabs of bacon thus fed thereto, and associated with the slicing machine a magazine conveyor having cooperating endless members providing downwardly traveling lobes that carry shelves for supporting in vertical arrangement slabs of bacon that are parallel to the longitudinal line of feed, a fast moving endless conveyor having a longitudinal moving top lobe arranged to receive a strip of bacon. as dropped thereupon from the downwardly moving shelves as the shelves separate, a motor connected so as to operate the magazine conveyor and a controlling member in the path of movement of the strips of bacon as they pass from the fast moving endless conveyor into the slicing machine, which last mentioned member controls the operation and functioning of the motor, said fast moving endless conveyor being driven by the motor that operates the slicing machine.

7. In combination, a slicing machine into which a slab of bacon to be sliced is fed into a forward longitudinal direction, a feeding means comprising companion endless conveyors providing shelves that receive bacon slabs placed therein and support the same so that the strips extend parallel to the longitudinal feed into the machine,- a motor, means operated by the motor for causing the companion endless conveyor to move the bacon slabstransversely in respect to the machine but in position for a slab to be longitudinally fed forwardly into the machine, means for causing the strip of bacon to pass forwardly when delivered by said feeding means into the slicing machine, and a motor-controlling member for controlling the operation of the companion endless conveyors, which motor-controlling member is associated with the shearing machine so as to control the functioning of the motor according as to whether a slab of bacon is in or out of a certain locality in respect to the slicing machine.

8. A bacon slicing machine in which the material to be sliced is fed along a downward, forward, longitudinal direction and associated therewith a pair of cooperating endless conveyors arranged so that a lobe of one conveyor travels parallel and adjacent to the lobe of the other conveyor, shelves on said conveyor whereby the two endless conveyors cooperate to receive strips of bacon which can be successively fed along an upwardly, forwardly inclined path to a position whereby from the top of the companion pair of endless conveyors a slab of bacon can pass downwardly and forwardly therefrom along a suitable longitudinally extending guiding section, toward and into the slicing machine, said guiding section, a motor for operating the slicing machine and another motor for operating the pair of endless conveyors and means in the path of travel of the bacon when on the shearing machine to control the functioning of the last mentioned motor.

CHARLES T. WALTER. 

